The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-06-04
A Pent Up Utica.

From the Jackson, Mich, PdtriOt
The New York Standard calls attention to
the fact that the Common Councilmen of
| Utica, in that state, have the courage of their
convictions. That city has u professor of po-
litioal economy in the person of Ellis ii.
Roberts, who believes in and teaches the pro-
lection doctrine that taxation is an efficient
cause of prosperity and wealth. The local
rulers of Utica have been making an applica-
ton of the doctrine to their home affairs,
having concluded that the sure way for a
community to grow rich is to exact a fine from
every member of any other community who
wants to trade with it. In this way home in
dustries are inexpensyely encouraged, plenty
of work is provided for everybody, and Incl.
dentaly very considerable revenue is raised
for public purposes.
1t all sounds very plausible. 1t seemed
good doctrine to the Utica Common Council
men. Mr.. Roberts had written a book that
made it as plain to them as it is to the mind
of Rev. Jasper that the sun do move" So,
as the Standard says, they determined to
do on small scale what the United States
does on large one, and to make Utica the
hub and centre of prosperity on the American
continent by giving it the blessing of aprotec'
tive tariff. 10 this end they some months
since passed an ordinance requiring every
farmer who brings eggs, or butter, or vege-
tables, or anything else into Utica with intent
to sell from house to house to pay Il license
fee of S.. According to all precedent this
should have resulted in . very considerable
development of Utica industries, bringing
business to the grocery stores, and encourag-
ing the domestic industries of embarrassing
and vegetable culture.
But the scheme failed to work as the doc
trinaires expected. 1t drove trade away from
Utica, the same as a national protective tariff
drives trade away from the United States.
And now the I" Utica merchants protest
against it, the Utica housekeepers are dis
gusted with it, and even the Utica grocers
want the tax removed The merchants say
| that when the farmers used to come into
| UTICA to peddle eggs and things they bought
dry goods and other necessaries to take home
with them, but alas they do so no more; the
housekeepers complain that the prices of eggs
and butter have seriously advanced, and the
| grocers, the men who were chiefly to be ben
| Gifted, are Mortified to find that since the
farmers cannot come to the housekeepers the
housekeepers are actually going to the farm
ers and buying not only eggs and butter from
them, but other things as we'll, for which they
used to go to the grocers. And, withal, the
tax isn't producing any revenue. So now
that cunning man in Utica has discov-
cred that the tax was illegal anyhow, being
contrary to the laws of the State, there is
general rejoicing, and the protective system
is about to be abandoned TO the satisfaction
of everybody"
But it is worth something to the Uticans to
have live protectionist teacher in their
midst, and to put his teachings into practice
on small scale, for thus they can see that
policy that works badly for Utica would work
badly for Oneida county, for the State of New
! Il o.. Il n
is in an economical sense but aggregation
of states, counties, cities, towns and individ-
uals, and an injury 10 the least is an injury to
| the greatest.